Martial arts have become extinct worldwide, yet I am forced to have a large family.

"No need, Mr. Xu."

"I'm quite comfortable staying at Chief Liu's place."

Yang Xian did not accept the document.

Xu Zhengyang's smile remained unchanged: "Mr. Yang, this is an arrangement made by higher-ups..."

"I've gotten used to living here for so long, I really can't sleep in a different place." Yang Xian shrugged, looking sincere. "Mr. Xu, look, I'm so sorry to have made you come all this way for nothing."

"This..." Xu Zhengyang's lips twitched.

Yang Xian didn't give him a chance to speak and continued:

"Sister Liu is a kind and gentle person; she took great care of me!"

"Besides, she's the one who brought me to Star City, and she's the one who taught me martial arts every night and helped me catch up on my studies."

"I, Yang Xian, am not very capable. I can only spend as much time with her as possible and repay her kindness."

As for where he trained in martial arts, what knowledge he acquired, and how he repaid the debt of gratitude...

That's not something I can go into detail about!

Upon hearing these words, Liu Qin forcibly suppressed the upward curve of her lips.

That kid Yang Xian, how dare he say such things in this kind of setting...

However, all the pampering I've shown him wasn't for nothing; he spoke well of me in front of everyone.

They put me in the position of "guardian," making it impossible for Xu Zhengyang to bypass me and take people directly.

"Mr. Yang, I understand your concerns. But the higher-ups' decision..."

Yang Xian no longer looks at him.

He bypassed Xu Zhengyang and went straight to Liu Qin and Teacher Zhong.

"Sister Liu, Teacher Zhong."

Yang Xian stopped in front of the two of them, bowed slightly, and said, "I'm sorry to have worried you."

Teacher Zhong grabbed his shoulder and looked him up and down several times.

"It's good that you're back! It's good that you're back!"

"You little brat, do you know how long I've been waiting outside?"

"I know, I know." Yang Xian winced as he was slapped. "Teacher Zhong, please be gentle, my shoulder still hurts."

"What's in pain? You're perfectly fine, jumping around like a madman!"

Teacher Zhong was scolding, but he had already loosened his grip.

Liu Qin stood to the side, watching the interaction between the teacher and student, her red lips slightly parted.

"Let's go home!"

Xu Zhengyang's expression changed.

He quickly took two steps forward.

"Liu Wuhuang, please wait a moment. According to the higher-ups, Mr. Yang Xian currently needs—"

"I don't care whose opinion it is."

Liu Qin turned her head, her gaze behind her glasses falling on Xu Zhengyang.

Just one glance.

Xu Zhengyang swallowed back all the words he was about to say.

The aura of a Seventh Realm Martial Emperor is no joke.

She didn't even exert any pressure; it was just the look in her eyes that sent chills down Xu Zhengyang's spine.

"Where Yang Xian wants to go is his own business."

Liu Qin looked away and grabbed Yang Xian's hand.

"Let's go!"

Her steps were crisp and decisive as she pulled Yang Xian out.

The surrounding martial artists quickly made way for them.

Xu Zhengyang stood there, his lips moved, but he ultimately remained silent.

It's not that he didn't want to stop it.

It's unstoppable.

If a seventh-realm Martial Emperor wants to take someone away, the entire camp combined has no right to say no.

He could only watch their backs recede into the distance before silently taking out his special communicator.

"...Sir, we couldn't stop him. Emperor Liu Wu took him away personally."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the communicator.

"understood."

……

……

Out of everyone's sight, Yang Xian looked down at his hand, which was being held by Liu Qin.

"Sister Liu."

"Um?"

"This is the first time you've held my hand in front of so many people."

Liu Qin turned her head to the side, but didn't stop walking: "It's okay. They'll just think I was protecting my own when I acted impulsively just now. They won't think anything else."

Yang Xian smiled but didn't say anything more.

Women, even when dating a man in private, want to assert their ownership in front of others.

Even if they don't intend to make their relationship public, they still want others to see it.

That's not what I meant...

Yang Xian's fingers lightly brushed against Liu Qin's skin: "Whether we go public or not, I'll do whatever you say."

"Mm!" Liu Qin responded simply.

The two held hands, neither of them speaking.

And so they walked for a while longer.

Yang Xian took out an iron-eating worm from his bag: "Oh right, this is for you."

"This is..." Liu Qin stopped in her tracks.

Yang Xian explained, "There is a piece of viral code inside this iron-eating worm..."

He briefly explained the function and effect of this code.

The "Yang Lingling" inside had already been taken out beforehand.

"Have the people at the research institute analyze the structure of this code and copy it."

"In the future, when Star City encounters Iron-Eating Insects again, there will be a more efficient way to eliminate them, without having to rely on sheer numbers..."

After hearing this, Liu Qin's face showed an expression of "just as expected".

"I knew it."

"What?"

"The explosion in the crevice was indeed related to you."

Yang Xianqian chuckled, which was taken as tacit agreement.

After thinking for a moment, Liu Qin pushed the iron-eating worm back.

"I can't accept this."

Why?

"Why should you give away something you figured out yourself for free? If you hand it in, who gets the credit?"

Liu Qin pushed up her glasses.

"If you want it published, submit it to the research institute in your own name. What is yours is yours."

"This..." Yang Xian sighed inwardly.

The problem is, this achievement isn't mine either.

But there was no way to explain this to Liu Qin.

Moreover, he really didn't want to become famous in Star City again.

It's not easy to be a fake genius!

"Oh, right."

Liu Qin changed the subject, "How's your mechanical lifecycle doing?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Xian took out a crystal from his pocket.

"A great success!"

------

Star Academy.

"Ring ring!"

As soon as the school bell rang, Liu Ruyu rushed out of the school gate.

The next bus out of town is in fifteen minutes.

She also accepted a mission to leave the city—the only legal way for her to leave Star City.

There will definitely be no problem right now.

"Yang Xian! You just wait!"

"I'll go out of town right now and bring you back!!"

Liu Ruyu ran and shouted, but Yang Xian couldn't hear her at all.

Just then, her phone vibrated.

The girl took out her phone and glanced down at the screen.

It was a message from Yang Xian.

Sorry I'm late.

Upon seeing this message, Liu Ruyu immediately stopped in her tracks.

"Yang Xian...is back?"

"Wasn't he trapped in the crevice?"

She quickly tapped the door open and voiced her doubts.

Yang Xian's news popped up again.

I was trapped for a few days, but I'm out now, aren't I?

Don't worry, I'm fine!

Liu Ruyu stared blankly at the phone screen, then suddenly broke into a silly grin.

"It's good that you're alright!"

Where are you now? I want to see you!

The message was sent, and Yang Xian replied.

I have some things to take care of right now.

How about tomorrow?